In its Autumn 2018 Economic Forecast published this morning, the European Commission revised upwards its growth predictions for Ireland for 2018 and 2019 compared to the Summer 2018 forecasts. GDP growth for Ireland is now forecast to reach 7.8% in 2018 (highest in the EU) and 4.5% in 2019 (second highest in the EU). The Commission's report for Ireland says: "GDP growth in Ireland is expected to be strong this year, driven largely by the activities of multinational companies, but the pace is projected to moderate. The positive performance of the labour market and construction investment are expected to support the domestic economy in the near term. The government deficit is projected to turn slowly into a surplus, but risks to the fiscal outlook remain."